Critical Process Died BSOD every startup during Windows loading.

HelpMyPCPlease · 12 Aug 2020

Hi all!

PC was working normally until I tried to install an NVidia driver before swapping out an old placeholder video card from a mostly new build. After driver install and computer reset, crashed.

It rebooted normally after crash, went to startup repair, and I recovered to a previous restore point. But, then it crashed again after about a minute during desktop loading.

No alternate boot options work (so no safe mode, etc.). All modes crash in the same manner on Windows loading screen.

I've ran and passed both memtest and a Seatools hard drive diagnostic (from Kyhi's repair drive).

Ztruker · 12 Aug 2020

Please read and follow (if you can) the instructions here: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions

Can you boot to Safe Mode? If so, can you then do a Clean Boot? How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts

If Clean Boot work you could then do a Repair Install. See this tutorial by Shawn Brink:

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

It keeps pretty much everything, just replacing the OS, and should fix your problem.

Are you backing up your system? If not:

Backup your hard drive

The first thing you need to do is backup your current install. The best way to do this is to use Macrium Reflect Free to make an image backup to an external hard drive. If you don't have an external hard drive now is a good time to get one as regular backup should be a part of your normal process. You can get a 1TB external hard drive for $60 (less if on sale).

There are other backup programs available but Macrium is the one I use and recommend.

Acronis True Image. A full featured backup solution. ...
EaseUS ToDo Backup. A flexible solution in the backup arena. ...
Paragon Backup & Recovery. Enterprise options for home backup. ...
NovaBackup. Does the basics well, but only the basics.

HelpMyPCPlease · 12 Aug 2020

Ztruker said:

Please read and follow (if you can) the instructions here: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions

Can you boot to Safe Mode?[/LIST]

I state in OP that I cannot boot into safe mode or any alternate boot options. Can I execute the V2 logger from command line or winPE? It doesn't look like it.

I'm waiting on an SSD to backup all my files, but I'm debating just pulling what I have room for and doing a clean install.

Ztruker · 12 Aug 2020

Sorry, I read right over that. V2 won't run unless you can boot Win 10. I don't think it runs right in Safe Mode either.

Do you have any other restore points you can try?

How long until the SSD arrives? Would be nice if you could get a full backup so you don't lose anything you might want to keep.

HelpMyPCPlease · 12 Aug 2020

No other restore points, I had only used the PC a few times in the 2 weeks leading up to this.

SSD won't be here for a week, but I was hoping to have this up and running by the end of this week. Is there anything I can do to undo the driver install, diagnose the problem, or repair my windows install while booting from Kyhi's repair disk?

I had hoped the initial restore point revert would have fixed the driver install, but it seems like it didn't.

Ztruker · 13 Aug 2020

I had hoped the initial restore point revert would have fixed the driver install, but it seems like it didn't.

That should have removed the new driver for sure.
Great tutorial for recovering from a device driver install that prevents you from booting in Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10.

Uninstall Offline/Unbootable OS Drivers with DISM in Command Prompt from Recovery Environment

Only works for 3rd party drivers.

HelpMyPCPlease · 14 Aug 2020

I rolled back the NVidia drivers that I was concerned about (which were still there even though the restore point should have been several days earlier).

Windows still crashes after several seconds of the loading swirl.

I have a Windows install media ready to go. Are there any other things I can try from command prompt in winRE or PE that don't require logging in? I was tempted to try dism, but IIRC that requires jumping through quite a few hoops if you aren't logged into the image.

Ztruker · 14 Aug 2020

With DISM from winpe, all l you need to add is the /offwindir and /offbootdir parameters.

Once you get this working, export your driver to a backup area using DISM. Has saved my butt several times when I didn't want to do a full Macrium restore.

You can Export the current drivers from that Windows 10 OS - for use after the re-installation of windows 10

from command prompt(admin)
type> md c:\Drivers
type> Dism /online /Export-Driver /Destination:C:\Drivers

Copy the C:\Drivers Folder to a USB or different drive that will not be affected by the install.

Once you reinstall the OS - if the needed driver is not present within OS
You can use Device Manager and point to the Drivers folder on the USB
DM should find and install the needed driver(s) from the prior OS

Posted by KYHI here: Ethernet not working after using recovery drive

HelpMyPCPlease · 14 Aug 2020

Gotcha, thanks! I'll give it a shot, but I won't be surprised if a backup-reinstall is in my future.

When I use /get-currentedition , I see the image version, but the space for "current edition is" is blank. Any ideas on what happened to cause that specifically? I'm getting the feeling that there was an air conditioner power spike or something in my apartment during the original windows restore point reversion I did that screwed the pooch on my windows image.

Cheers.

Ztruker · 15 Aug 2020

That has been caused by doing the registry edit to show the new Start Menu items in version 2004. If you've done that, remove the edit and the version will be displayed again after a reboot. I verified this myself.